The second half of UEFA Conference League qualifying is set to be highly intriguing. We have already seen 74 teams be eliminated from Europe after the first two rounds, and by the conclusion of this stage, 30 more will join them. One thing that is certain here: the pressure is truly intensifying.
Ahead of the action, here is The Deck’s preview of all 30 ties. We will also predict which teams will advance to the playoff round, where five new teams await.
UEFA Conference League: Third Qualifying Round
Champions Path: Last Drink Saloon for Minnows
Olimpija Ljubljana, the only team in the champions path to play in the UECL proper before, faces Egnatia. The Slovenians are aiming for a third straight appearance in the competition’s main round. For Egnatia, this is the farthest they have ever gone in Europe, and is two rounds away from being Albania’s second-ever group phase representative. As for Milsami Orhei, they battle Virtus, the latter’s country being the only one in this round to have never had a team in the group stage. The Moldovan champions have never successfully negotiated a Q3 tie in Europe. As for Virtus, back-to-back winners in San Marino, they have scored four times in their six European matches. Predictions: Olimpija Ljubljana, Milsami Orhei
Differdange 03 meets FCI Levadia Tallinn in what is a great chance for both sides to go one step further towards a maiden group phase appearance. The club from Luxembourg defeated their Estonian opponents in the second qualifying round of the Europa League 14 years ago. That coincided with their best European showing, when they reached the playoff round before losing to PSG. Under the modern qualifying format, Levadia’s best performance in a UEFA club competition also saw them reach the UEL playoffs, back in 2009/10. They would be the second different Estonian team to make a league phase. Prediction: FCI Levadia Tallinn
Víkingur Gøta, matching their farthest foray into the qualifiers, takes on Northern Ireland’s Linfield. The Faroese club, playing in the Conference League qualifiers for the fourth year running, got to this stage of the Europa League back in 2014/15 before falling to Rijeka. Twice has Linfield reached the final part of qualifying but could not get over the line. One of those occasions came in 2022/23, when they fell on penalties to RFS after being moments away from victory. They have successfully negotiated all five previous ties where they faced a club from the Faroe Islands. Prediction: Linfield
Main Path: A Duel Four Decades In the Making
One of the most fascinating ties in this round – for many reasons more than one – sees Dundee United face Rapid Wien. Forty-two years on from a European Cup quarterfinal showdown, which the Scots won on away goals, the pair will do battle once more. Across five previous European participations this century, Dundee United has failed to progress from a two-legged tie. The contrast could not be any greater, as Rapid was in the Conference League last eight earlier this calendar year. Overall, they own a 5-2-5 record versus Scottish teams. This clash is huge for both countries’ coefficient. Prediction: Rapid Wien
Elsewhere, Sparta Praha will be favourites in their clash versus Ararat-Armenia. The Czech giants failed in UECL qualifying in their only previous showing three years ago. However, they will have the one expecting to advance versus an Ararat-Armenia team who has not gone farther than this round since 2020/21. They are, however, unbeaten in their last three European road games. Larne will get a second crack at Portuguese opposition as they meet Santa Clara. The Northern Irish outfit fell to Paços de Ferreira 4-1 on aggregate at this stage of the maiden UECL season. Their opponents this time around also featured in that edition, losing at the playoff round to Partizan in what was their only other continental campaign. Predictions: Sparta Praha, Santa Clara
Hajduk Split continues their hopes of ending a 15-year wait for a group phase showing, as they face Dinamo Tirana. This will be the Croats’ first-ever tie versus a team from Albania. They have failed at this round in both of the last two summers. This season marks just the third time Dinamo has won a continental tie. They are unbeaten at home in their last three (2-1-0). Kauno Žalgiris and Arda have a massive opportunity ahead of them in their matchup. This is the farthest the Lithuanians have ever gone in Europe, while the club from Kardzhali scored in a European match at the fourth time of asking last time out. Predictions: Hajduk Split, Kauno Žalgiris
Domestic league pacesetter Viking has İstanbul Başakşehir in what should be a great tie. The Norwegians made the playoff round of the UECL in their other appearance in the tournament in 2022/23, losing to FCSB. Başakşehir has reached the last 16 in Europe twice, including in the UECL two and a half years ago. Raków Częstochowa and Maccabi Haifa do battle, with a lot on the line for both. The Polish club has been eliminated at the last hurdle in both of their Conference League campaigns, and is hoping to get over that challenge. For The Greens, they reached the last 16 two seasons ago, but was stunned in qualifying last time out. Predictions: İstanbul Başakşehir, Raków Częstochowa
One of many standout ties in this round sees Lugano aim for revenge versus Celje. The teams squared off in the last 16 of the competition back in March, with the latter prevailing on penalties. The Swiss side is riding a six-game unbeaten run at home in Europe (3-3-0), though they did lose out to Hapoel Be’er Sheva in this round three summers ago. Celje enjoyed their best run in a UEFA club competition last season by reaching the quarterfinals before bowing out to Fiorentina. They have reached at least the playoff round in both runs in the UECL. Prediction: Lugano
Main Round: Big Opportunities for Unexpected Bunch
One of the most evenly-matches ties in this Conference League third qualifying round pits together Baník Ostrava and Austria Wien. It was at this stage last August where the Czech side, who had won a European tie for the first time ever the round before, suffered heartbreak. FC København ended their run on penalties. They will hope for a different outcome this time around. It will not be easy though, as the former Cup Winners Cup finalist has far more continental pedigree. They also suffered an early exit last year, falling to Ilves in Q2. The Austrian side is hoping to reach the league phase via UECL qualifiers for the first time. Prediction: Austria Wien
AZ Alkmaar takes on Vaduz, a side who they beat home and away in the group stage in 2022/23. Across two previous appearances in UECL qualifying, AZ has never been eliminated. Since making that appearance in the main round, Vaduz had fallen at the first hurdle twice. However, they are winless in their last 12 at home (0-5-7). Zhytomyr and Paksi square off in what is a huge chance for both clubs. After losing their first three continental games, the Ukrainians won last week for the first time ever. They face a Paksi team who reached the playoff round last summer before bowing out to Mladá Boleslav. Predictions: AZ Alkmaar, Paksi
Araz faces off against Omonoia Nicosia in their tie. the Azeris, making their debut in UEFA club competitions, took out Aris Thessaloniki in the last round in a considerable upset. They will have it tough against an Omonoia team who became the third different club from Cyprus to reach the knockout rounds in Europe. St. Patrick’s Athletic will have a tricky time when they meet Beşiktaş. The League of Ireland team lost at the playoff round last year to Başakşehir, and would do well to cause an upset. Two years on from their other appearance in the Conference League, Beşiktaş will be expected to at least make the league phase after falling at that stage back in 2023/24. Predictions: Omonoia Nicosia, Beşiktaş
In what is one of several all-Nordic ties in this round, Rosenborg takes on Hammarby. Once group stage regulars, the Norwegians have not graced that stage since 2019/20. This is their third time in the UECL, where they lost out to Hearts in 2023/24. This will be their first time facing a Swedish team. Hammarby knocked out Fredrikstad in the 2007/08 UEFA Cup 3-2 on aggregate. In what is also their third attempt in the Conference League, they have yet to get past the playoff round, the stage they lost at four years ago. Prediction: Rosenborg
Víkingur Reykjavík’s meeting with Brøndby is another Nordic clash. The Icelandic outfit reach the knockout rounds playoffs last season, losing late on to Panathiniakos. Before then, they had only reached Q3 once, back in 2022/23. Brøndby’s last battle with a side from Iceland ended with them scoring 10 times over two legs versus Valur Reykjavík nine years ago. After Europa League disappointment, Anderlecht and Sheriff Tiraspol meet looking to avoid consecutive eliminations. The Belgian club, who reached the quarterfinals in 2022/23, has successfully negotiated this round on both occasions in the UECL. Sheriff lost to their Brussels-based opponents in their maiden Champions League appearance back in 2001/02. Predictions: Brøndby, Anderlecht
For our tie of the round, we have gone with CS Universitatea Craiova facing Spartak Trnava. CSU will be hoping to make the UECL proper at the fourth time of asking. They lost out at the playoff round three years ago to Hapoel Be’er Sheva on penalties. As for Trnava, they have featured in all five editions of the Conference League. They reached the group phase in 2023/24, finishing last in their group. They have met a Romanian team in the UECL before, taking out Sepsi back in 2021/22 in the second qualifying round. This will surely be a crucial game from a coefficient point of view Prediction: CS Universiatea Craiova
Main Path: Former Group Phase Sides Looking for Return
KÍ Klaksvík and Neman Grodno will see a huge chance in their third qualifying round tie. The club from the Faroe Islands has made it quite difficult to face them at home. They have lost just once in their last 16 matches at home in Europe (10-5-1). Neman is at this round of the UECL for the second time, losing to Celje 5-1 on aggregate three years ago. Riga FC takes on Beitar Jerusalem in their Q3 clash. The former’s only previous game versus an Israeli team ended in a 2-0 reverse to Maccabi Tel Aviv five years ago. Beitar knocked off Jelgava at this stage of the UEL almost a decade ago en route to their only previous playoff round appearance. Predictions: KÍ Klaksvík, Riga FC
It is a huge chance for recently dethroned champions Ballkani and Shamrock Rovers, who will do battle in a truly huge tie. The Kosovan club has done quite well on the road of late, going unbeaten in their last four (3-1-0). In what is their fourth season in Europe, they have never failed to get this far. Although Rovers has gone as far as the group stage/league phase twice, they have never been able to do so via UECL qualifying. They have lost out to Flora Tallinn the 2021/22 playoff round, and Ferencváros in the second qualifying round two years later. Prediction: Ballkani
Two Europa League dropouts clash as Partizan Belgrade faces Hibernian. The Serbs have lost at the last round of qualifying in both of the last two summers. It has been 19 years since they last met a Scottish team, losing 1-0 at Rangers in the 2006/07 UEFA Cup group stage. Hibs has managed to get to this stage in both of their UECL showings before this, but has never featured in a group phase. Aris Limassol and AEK Athens square off in a good-looking tie. The Cypriot club has scored two or more goals in five of their eight European home games all-time. They are up against an AEK Athens side who lost at this stage to Noah last summer in a stunning upset. Predictions: Partizan Belgrade, AEK Athens
Levski Sofia and Sabah Baku are set to face off for the first time. The Bulgarians took out FC Baku in the 2009/10 Champions League qualifiers. They have not reached a group phase since the 2010/11 Europa League, where they finished last. Levski reached the playoff round in their last appearance in the UECL two years ago before falling to Eintracht Frankfurt. Sabah, participating in their seventh continental tie, was eliminated in this round by Partizan and St. Pat’s in the last two years. They have been a tricky customer though, beating seeded sides twice. Prediction: Levski Sofia
Sweden’s AIK Solna will take on Győr ETO from Hungary in their tie. This is the second time the capital club has been involved in the UECL, falling to Slovácko in the 2022/23 playoff round. Before this term, Győr’s last continental tie ended in a 3-1 reverse to Goteborg in UEL Q2 11 years ago. Lausanne-Sport will fancy their chances against FC Astana. It has been a decade and a half since the side from Switzerland last graced the continental scene. This is just their third two-legged qualifying round tie under the modern format. Astana, meanwhile, has made a group phase seven times previously, and will push to make it eight. Predictions: AIK Solna, Lausanne-Sport
We conclude with the tie between Silkeborg and Jagiellonia Białystok. It is another huge Denmark vs Poland tie, a year on after another one occurred at this very stage. It was heartbreak for the Danes last year as Gent pipped them at this stage. Group phase participants in 2022/23, it will be Silkeborg’s maiden clash with a Polish team in a major European club competition. Jagiellionia, meanwhile, made the Conference League quarterfinals last April before bowing out. En route to doing so, they stunned FC København on matchday 1. This will be a stern test to see whether they can achieve similar heights to last term. Prediction: Jagiellonia Białystok